Nuusita Ashipala
Ongwediva-A group of more than 100 community members joined the governor of Ohangwnena Region, Usko Nghaamwa, to excavate an earth dam to harvest rainwater for one of the severely drought-affected villages at Ohauyave in Oshikunde Constituency.
Oshikunde in the eastern part of the region is one of the areas hardest hit by drought, which crippled the agrarian economy and resulted in a shortage of water for both animals and human consumption.
As a result the Ohangwena governor initiated the idea to excavate earth dams to hold water from the rainy season with the possibility of prolonging the availability of water during the dry season to be consumed both by humans and animals.
“The eastern part of the Ohangwena Region is mostly depending on rainwater and boreholes, as there is no a potable water in the area,” the governor related.
Although there is no excavator in the region, the governor encouraged the community through the traditional and regional councillors to deepen the dams in the communities by hand.
“We do not have the machinery, but that should not stop us. Let us go back to the old traditional way of doing things where we can,” said Nghaamwa.
He further said the excavation of the dam at Ohauyave is just the beginning and that he will continue to mobilise resources and other communities to follow suit.
The governor also said the region was working around the clock to acquire an excavator to help deepen more earth dams.
Nghaamwa called on good Samaritans and the private sector to help with the provision of excavators, or anything they have to assist and meet the government halfway in solving the problem of water scarcity in the region.
On his part, the senior chief of Oshikunde District in the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority, Toivo Shiweda, suggested the excavation of the earth dams was a form of drought mitigation, as people will have water to start their own gardening and brick projects.
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Caption (dam jpg):
Yes, we can… Members of the community joined Ohangwena Governor Nghaamwa in excavating an earth dam to catch rainwater and retain it for the drier seasons.
Photo: Contributed